Beyond the Headlines

The US and Iran have signed their framework agreement to end the war. It comes after more than 100 days of fighting, economic and political warfare, and a death toll in the thousands. The two countries will now have only 60 days to negotiate a final peace agreement. During that time, they will each have to consider what they have gained and what they have lost as a result of this conflict. For the US, the glaring question is whether or not this was all worth it for a nuclear agreement that does not appear to have progressed since before the war. For Iran, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf states could affect its relations with its neighbours in the future. Meanwhile, Israel – which is not a party to the framework agreement – will have to balance the costs of insisting on weapons over diplomacy, and how the conflict has tested its relationship with the US. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher examines the wins and losses each side has endured and asks what comes next after the agreement takes effect. She speaks to Eric Brewer, deputy vice president of the Nuclear Materials Security Program, and Danny Citrinowitz, senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies think tank.

Israel has begun a wave of strikes on Lebanon after warning residents in the south of the country to flee north of the Litani River on Wednesday. The forced displacement order impacts about 250,000 people in 150 villages. That’s almost 5 per cent of the country’s population. It marks a dangerous escalation as the US-Israeli war on Iran opens new fronts in the region. It comes after Hezbollah fired rockets towards Tel Aviv and Haifa, prompting a heavy-handed response against areas of Beirut and towns in the south. More than 70 people have been killed so far and hundreds have been injured. In today’s update report on Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher looks at the war’s expansion in Lebanon, as well as the risks of other parties being dragged into the conflict.

As the war on Iran enters its fourth day, Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on US assets in Arab countries ramp up, testing the limits of their patience. Recent remarks from US officials suggest a limited timeframe for the war that could last a few weeks. The question is how much appetite and military might do the warring parties have? At the same time, US President Donald Trump warned that people will soon find out how America will retaliate for an attack on the US embassy in Riyadh on Monday night, and the deaths of US military personnel.GCC countries continue to issue stern condemnations and warnings for Iranian attacks on their territories. This all comes as Tehran came under another wave of heavy US-Israeli air strikes overnight. In this special episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher rounds up the most recent developments in the conflict. She covers the latest statements from US officials about extent of the war, Hezbollah’s involvement and the impact on humanitarian aid in Gaza.

The notorious Al Hol camp in north-east Syria finally closed its doors this week. Thousands of alleged ISIS members and their families had been held there for years in inhumane conditions and without charge or trial. Human rights groups had long advocated for the camp to be closed but the events that unfolded before it was emptied were described as chaotic. The disorganised handover of the camp from the Syrian Democratic Forces to government authorities created a power vacuum that allowed for thousands of residents to escape. Those remaining were moved to a new camp in Aleppo with better conditions. Some of them are children who have never known a life outside Al Hol. The hope is they will eventually be reintegrated into society. But there is a fear that those with hardline ideologies could be recruited by ISIS, which just declared war against President Ahmad Al Shara and his government. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher asks, 'what happens next after the closure of Al Hol and can an ISIS resurgence in Syria be contained?' We hear from The National’s correspondent Nada Maucourant Atallah and Alexander McKeever, an independent researcher based in Damascus.